traveling to Prague and Czech Republic for conferences

Introduction

population of Prague is only 1.3 million but Prague is the fifth most visited European city after London, Paris, Istanbul and Rome with over 8 million tourists each year.
Prague has a rich architectural variety with minimal damage from the World Wars
after WW1 Prague became the capital of the newly formed Czechoslovakia after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
it had a large population of German Jews most of whom were deported and killed by the Nazis
At the end of WWII, the Russians took control of the city after a bloody Czech uprising against the Germans, and expelled most of the 50,000 Germans living there
Prague became the capital city of the Czech Republic when it formed in 1993 and from 1995 onwards high rise buildings began to be built

at latitude 50° North, Prague has a temperate continental climate and as it is located in the rain shadow of the Sudetes and other mountain ranges, its annual rainfall is only 500mm and is drier than Paris with minimal rain Dec to Feb when it often falls as snow and wettest in May-Aug
altitude is 204m
June-Aug summer months are pleasant and mild with average maximums 22-24degC and average minimums 11-13degC making it somewhat like Melbourne's climate in April although a little wetter
May and Sept are cooler with average maximums 19degC and average minimums 8-9degC
April and Oct are cold and dry with average maximums 13-14degC and average minimums 8-9degC
temperature inversions are relatively common between mid-October and mid-March bringing foggy, cold days
Nov through to March are gray and chilly with average maximums 2-8degC and average minimums minus 3 -to 1degC

there are no direct flights from Melbourne to Prague, you must change flights in a major European city or catch a train